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The Influence of the Two-Stage Ditch on Water Quality in An Agricultural Landscape

Professor Tank discussed her research evaluating two-stage agricultural ditches as a nutrient management strategy, including techniques for quantitatively measuring the effectiveness of a new drainage technology using environmental monitoring.

Dr. Tank’s research focuses on the influence of human land use on stream ecosystem function. Human land use, such as agriculture fertilizer application, adds large amounts of anthropogenic nitrogen to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Her goal is to better understand the role that small streams play in removing nitrogen from the water and to prevent it from polluting downstream ecosystems.

She also is affiliated with Notre Dame’s Environmental Change Initiative, which conducts policy-oriented research in the areas of climate change, land use and invasive species to help decision-makers manage critical environmental challenges.